Shloka 8
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
दुद्रुवु: केचिदुत्सृज्य तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते । बहवोऊत्र भृशं विद्धा मुहामाना महारथा:
sañjaya uvāca |
dudruvuḥ kecid utsṛjya tatra tatra viśāmpate |
bahavo 'tra bhṛśaṃ viddhā muhyamānā mahārathāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai tuan rakyat jelata, ada yang lari dalam panik, meninggalkan kedudukan mereka di sana sini. Ramai pahlawan kereta perang agung, ditembusi dengan parah, hampir hilang sedar—ditimpa kejutan oleh anak panah Arjuna. Pemandangan itu menyingkap bahawa apabila takut dan sakit menguasai fikiran, bahkan yang gagah pun boleh melupakan dharma dan berselerak, meninggalkan sahabat seperjuangan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and injury can shatter resolve: even renowned warriors may abandon positions and comrades when the mind is overwhelmed. Implicitly it contrasts steadfastness in dharma with the moral and psychological collapse that war can induce.
Sañjaya reports to the king that, under intense assault, some fighters flee in different directions, leaving others behind. Many elite chariot-warriors are badly wounded and begin to faint, struck down by the force of Arjuna’s arrows.